Ephesians 1:22-23 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

1. Too often we turn the ____________ ____________ of Jesus' ascension into ____________ ____________.

2. The gospel is not that Jesus is a new ____________, but that Jesus reigns to ____________ ____________ from all that oppresses us.

3. The Ascension of Jesus means:

- We have ____________.

- We have an ____________.

- We have God's ____________ ____________ at work in us.

Scripture Readings
Acts 1:1-11
Ephesians 1:15-23
Luke 24:44-53

Take It With You!

Here are some further thoughts to help you contemplate and celebrate Christ's Easter victory over sin, death, and the devil!

Christ's power and might over sin are now given to those who believe in him, who know that they, too, are masters over sin, while heretofore they were its slaves. Sin will not any longer compel them to transgress against God or to despair, because Christ, ascended on high, helps them resist sin when they believe in him and call upon him. This is affirmed by St. Paul (Rom. 6:14): "Sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." That means, you will still be anguished by sin and evil lust, but no longer will they be able to control you. For sin's dominion has been broken and laid at your feet; now you must be sin's master and it must be your slave. It is just like a murderer, who, though still alive, can no longer do harm because he has been taken captive; the hangman has him in chains restraining him from further murderers; or like a thief, whom the hangman has in bonds and now is no longer able to steal, unless the hangman would mischievously free his hands. But because his hands are still bound, he cannot do anything; he may well be angry and curse, but he is still bound up by the hangman, and his anger and cursing are in vain. That's the way also with sin, because it is not yet completely dead and buried. But Christ has bound it with rope and chains so that it can no longer harm the believers, nor force them to disobey God or terrify them. And even though it does, believers still have so much help and comfort that they are able to prevail over sin.

Martin Luther, Sermon on Ascension Day, 1534